Same-Sex Marriage in New York a Complicated Affair

Gay rights advocates in New York thought same-sex marriage was a done deal after the Democrats captured a majority in the state legislature November 4, with Gov. David Paterson already having said he would sign gay marriage legislation if it landed on his desk.

A gay marriage bill has already cleared the state assembly, but the matter was never put to a vote in the senate, which previously had a Republican majority. Now that the Democrats have taken control of the senate, it only seemed a matter of time before marriage equality was achieved in the Empire State. But thanks to Albany politics, that may be wishful thinking, reports Reuters UK.

Three Democratic senators refuse to support Malcolm Smith as senate majority leader without concessions -- specifically, drop same-sex marriage legislation.

One of those senators, Ruben Diaz, is a Pentecostal minister. "I will not give my vote to a leader that will bring gay marriage to the state," Diaz told Reuters. "Have a voter referendum. Let the people decide."

Some are optimistic that the squabbling will subside, Smith will be appointed majority leader, and New York will be the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through a state legislature. One reason for that optimism is that politicians and voters in New York are arguably less riled by same-sex marriage than those in other states. One example of that is that none of the Republican assembly members who voted for same-sex marriage in 2007 were drummed out of office. (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)